Big business in UK government “standard practice”

Caroline Lucas, the Green Party’s sole MP has helped uncover something that we already knew. The corporate world has its employees in government departments.

Thanks to the Freedom of Information act (FOI) and requests made by Ms Lucas it has been released that the Department of Energy has employees who are also working for energy companies such as British Gas and Npower.

Caroline Lucas MP said:

“Fossil fuel giants should have no place at the heart of government given that their current investment strategies run contrary to the need to build a low-carbon future that delivers both security and prosperity. It’s even more outrageous that taxpayers are footing the bill for some of these secondments, including from British Gas-owner Centrica, at a time when British Gas customers are struggling in the face of a 6% rise in their energy bills, and the company is expected to make £1.4bn profits after tax this year.”

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC)said:

“It is normal for secondees to be paid directly by DECC or for their company to be refunded for their time; this is standard practice across government.”

Is this really in the interests of the British taxpayer?
We help pay these people and in return we get higher cost energy bills and a screwed up environment.